THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IN AUCKLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 36, 10 February 1877, Page 4

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IN AUCKLAND.

The Auckland Herald in giving an account of the sawmills at the Thames says:— The most important ia that of the Shortland Sawmill Company, ib the town of Shortland, which is, indeed, the most complete of its kind in the colony. It is fitted with two breakingdown saws, two circular-saws and plantng-machines, driven by steam power, the fuel being almost wholly the sawdust, leaving all other timber, suoh as slabs and waste pieces, to be turned into money, and which find a ready sale either as firewood to .the townspeople or temporary timbers for mining purposes. The mill is capable of cutting as muoh as 70,000ft weekly, but this depends npon the class of timber required, the general run may be stated as 60,000ft. To supply this quantity, the dock attached to the mill is filled periodically, with logs drafted down from the booms, situated about 1£ miles, up the Kauaeranga, just above ihe influence of tha tide. Here most substantial piles of hardwood are driven firmly into the rock, triplicate, forming one of the most extensive and strongest booms erected in tbe north of New Zealand. From the nature of tbe country, and its apparent impracticability, great doubts were at one time expressed whether logs would ever be floated down the tortuous streams. These fears have, however been dispelled, and the company have now on hand, and in the main creek, sufficient logs of the finest Kauri timber to supply requirements for twelve months constantly running at their mill. The Company's operations have hitherto been carried on at stations on tbe Wbaugamata and Mangarehu Creeks. From these two stations there have been supplied and oot at the mill up to the end of 1876, 14,000,000ft of timber, and there are about 3000 logs in the creeks ready for driving, while remaining standing in the bush there are yet some 3,000,000ft to be quartered. The company have lately opened their way into another bueh on the Horitoritori Creek, and in doing so have . preferred to employ their own men rather than let it on contract. Under the . direction of the. general manager the dam has been erected in the most substantial manner, presenting to view an immense structure, scientifically constructed, having a present width of 180ft by a height of 32ft. These respective measurements will be increased by the addition of planking at the top, thereby grtatly increasing the area of water apace. It makes, when foil, a small lake, and, in ita present state, takes 10 minutes to run off with both gates open. One gate is termed a Scotch gate, the other a passing gate",contrived for the passage of logs. Both these gates are let off by trigger, the vent thus given being equal to. two openings of lift by 14ft. When the gates are opened the placid water is transformed into a mighty torrent, carrying everything before it, and, by the experimental discharge last week carried 100 logs through all the' sinuosities of a mountain stream that could be stepped across in ordinary circumstances, a distance oi about two miles to the main Kauaeranga Creek, demonstrating that tbe whole of the timber in this bush can be sent down even without extraordinary rain; the dam having filled withiu a fortnight, and proved sufficient. Tbe moat of the standing timber on this Horitoritori Greek is situate below the dam, and will be cut and thrown into the creek b j i^b company's men, nine of whom are from the station, and appear to be masters of the art of wood-cutting. About ten million feet of standing timber is available. On otber portions of the company's eetate there are forests of noble kauri trees, which from time to time will be felled and brought to market. It is probable that a quarter of a century will elapse before the resources of this company are crippled in, the matter of material. Besides the men employed by tbo contractors, and the company's busbmen, there are upwards of twenty men employed about the mil), while the constant shipping and delivery, of timber to the mines, employ indirectly a large number. In the. mill yard, there is stacked about one million feet of timber suitable for building purposes, and facilities exist for executing orders for almost any quantity and size. Timbers 30ft long by 7ft 6in in diameter, are capable of being aawn.